Ukraine and Russia have made significant progress on a 15-point pilot peace plan, which includes a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian troops if Kyiv declares neutrality and accepts restrictions on its armed forces, Financial Timesciting three people involved in the negotiations.
The agreement, which the two sides first discussed Monday, includes Ukraine’s withdrawal from NATO aspirations and its commitment not to have foreign military bases or armaments on its territory. in exchange for “protection” from allies such as the US, Britain and Turkey.
Although Moscow and Kyiv said on Wednesday they had made progress on the terms of the agreement, Ukrainian officials remain skeptical that the Russian President Putin are fully committed to peace and are concerned that Moscow may “buy” time to regroup and continue its offensive.
Mikhail Pontolyak, a senior adviser to Ukrainian President Dmitry Zhelensky, told the Financial Times that any agreement would include “Russian troops in any case leaving Ukrainian territory” – in southern areas along the Azov and Black Sea coasts. as well as territories to the east and north of Kiev.
Ukraine will retain its armed forces, but will be forced to stay out of military alliances such as NATO and refrain from hosting foreign military bases on its territory.
Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peshkov told reporters on Wednesday that neutrality for Ukraine under the Austrian or Swedish regimes was a possibility. “This option is really being discussed now and can be considered neutral,” Peshkov said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said “very specific statements” were “close to being agreed” in the negotiations. Despite progress in the peace talks, Ukrainian cities came under heavy bombardment for the third night in a row, with Kyiv saying it was launching a “counterattack against Russian invaders.”
Pontoliak made the following statement: “Our position in the negotiations is quite specific – legally verified security guarantees, ceasefire, withdrawal of Russian troops. “This is possible only through a direct dialogue between the leaders of Ukraine and the Russian Federation.”
kathimerini.gr
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